Shining In the Spotlight presents: Executive Entrepreneur Extraordinaire! Sister Khadiyja Y. Ali, CEO of Atqana and Associates May 4, 2009

 

Hello Everyone!  I hope you enjoyed our interim Secrets to Success series, InshaAllah ( God willing) the series will be continued at a later date. Now with out further ado, I welcome you back to our monthly special series: Shining In the Spotlight!  This month we will be featuring: Khadiyja Y. Ali, CEO of Atqana and Associates !

 Marketing and development are integral elements in the foundation of a successful business endeavor.  This month we will get to know the mastermind executive entrepreneur extraordinaire Sister Khadiyja Y. Ali.  Enjoy the interview while learning more about this dynamic sister and where her inspiration to succeed originates! With everyone starting a business these days, there’s no doubt that she will have a word or two of excellent advice. 

Welcome Back to Shining In the Spotlight! 

 
Teacher~Tamara (T~T): Please share some information about yourself, your occupation, family and educational background.

Khadiyja Y. Ali (KYA): I was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina and suburban Boston, Massachusetts. I had the fortune to live in Europe when I was young (Germany, Italy and France) as well as Alaska, which is my favorite place even to this day. I can honestly say that my living experiences brought rich culture to my life, which somewhat shaped my choice of profession.

When I lived in Alaska, my father would bring me and my sister dolls from around the world. The eyes of a little girl drank in all of the cultures of countries like Japan and Spain, for example, and created a desire to learn about the people, languages and cultures of the world. My father was an Air Force Major way back in 1969, which was a major accomplishment for a black man at that time. He was also a squadron commander. Commissioned from North Carolina A&T State University (my alma mater as well), he possessed leadership skills as a young man.

My mother returned to school after the death of my father in 1971 and earned her Bachelors’ (from A&T), Masters and Ph.D (from Boston University). This was no easy feat as a single woman, much less African American then. These traits of leadership and strength as well as intellect, I believe, I inherited from both of my parents.

It’s noteworthy to mention that as a little girl living in Alaska in the late 1960s, TV shaped my decision to engage in international business in the future. You see, at that time, the people on TV who seemed important were either businessmen or doctors. There were women, but they were nurses or housewives. I told myself, “One day, I will be one of those important people”. So along with the traits from my parents, the thirst for knowledge of the world around me and what I saw on TV, I have been brought to where I now stand.

These influences, along with the ever changing world of business, also were part of the reason why I chose to pursue my MBA at the University of Maryland University College, with an expected graduation date of December 2009. While pursuing an MBA is not a requirement as an entrepreneur, it has accentuated my strengths and greatly enhanced areas of mine that required growth. Additionally, since the world of business is constantly evolving, I have found it a great asset to obtain current knowledge of theory in areas like management, operations and finance while incorporating current knowledge gained into daily operations and executive decision making.

T~T:  MashaAllah, you are an entrepreneur extraordinaire can you explain how and when you got bite with the business bug?

KYA: The bug bit me when I was a kid in Alaska watching TV. Actually, the show that greatest influenced me was Bewitched. I saw plenty of cool businessmen on TV with their suits and briefcases…but the coolest were on Bewitched. Plus, they worked in advertising, the quintessential profession and took long lunches!

 

T~T : Who in your life inspired and influenced you to be all that you have become today?

 KYA: My parents first, but I had two very influential professors at North Carolina A&T State University. The first is Dr. Japhet Nkonge, Chairman of the Department of Marketing, who told me (at that time), that although I was pursuing a degree in management, I really needed to be in marketing! He was right! The second was Andre Vonsiatsky, an accountant by trade, but professor of a class called “Small Business Management”. To this date, that was my favorite class, besides my marketing classes.

I was given the name Khadijah [RA] by a brother, Abu Saif (may Allah have mercy upon him), whom I met in the early 90s. Because of her qualities – noble character, one of the four perfect women and of course, an excellent businesswoman, she is the ultimate role model for me as a Muslim woman.

T~T:  In any basic business frame work you must have a vision and mission, what are your life’s visions and missions?

 KYA:  On a business level, it is to continue to be active in my business units, although in the future I will likely step back from some activities. However, in affairs relating to international business, marketing and culture, I will always be closely involved, as they are my biggest areas of interest and core competencies. The success of women and minorities is also important to me. All of my current and future initiatives are developed for the purpose of fulfilling these objectives.

Academically, I would like to fund an endowment to my alma mater (North Carolina A&T State University). That school was key in bringing me to where I am…and the praise and glory, of course, is all due to Allah. On a spiritual level, I would like for my sadaqah [charity] to be pleasing to Allah and that He accept my efforts, knowing my heart really is to help others and this is the driving force behind current and future initiatives related to our corporate social responsibility.

T~T:  How has this vision helped to shape what you do as a CEO of your organization?

KYA: The name Atqana, derived from the Arabic verb “itqan”, means “He (Allah) perfected”. The noun “atqana” itself means “the ability to arrange or dispose of with art to achieve perfect results”. Since this quality has been placed in me, it’s just my nature to construct the best solutions and strategies for my clients.
Or to take what tasks I am charged with in this life, be they business or otherwise and fulfill the obligations with which I have been entrusted. I strive to achieve this in consulting or when I have speaking engagements.

 

T~T:  How is your mission manifested into daily living for you?

KYA: Simply by living and trying to fulfill the responsibilities with which I have been entrusted. Throughout the course of the day, there’s always some strategic planning going on for each and/or any of my business units. I took a leadership assessment as part of my leadership development and coaching, which revealed that I am as much traditional as I am creative. I was shocked to learn that, but then again, not really. The “traditional” part is the consultant, which also manifests in my love of writing; the “creative” part is expressed in my appreciation of art, beauty, language, culture and literature. I try and give my best every day, be it on a business or personal level. And of course, I’m always striving to better myself. My life and the description of “atqana” are intertwined.

Stay tuned for pt 2 of this exclusive interview series with Executive Entrepreneur Extraordinaire!

Khadiyja Y. Ali, CEO of Atqana and Associates!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Shining In the Spotlight Presents: Internationally Acclaimed Author Umm Zakiyyah!! pt 4/4 March 23, 2009

 

Final part of the series with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyah!!!

by Umm Zakiyyah

  

 

 

What is the best feeling you’ve gotten from being a ________________. Please fill in and describe the situation.

Muslim.  I know it sounds cliché, but for me that’s the one thing that is most fulfilling for me.  I reflect often on how, perhaps, one day I will no longer be a writer or teacher.  Perhaps, one day there will be no children growing up under my care, and perhaps even my husband will have passed from this world.  So, to me, even today, my Islam is all I have, or ever will have, of worth in the end.  I feel this most intensely when I see another person accept Islam and my eyes flood with tears, or when I’m praying late at night when everyone is asleep and tears slip down my cheeks as I realize that I have the opportunity for the best gift anyone can be awarded—Paradise, and I think, SubhaanAllaah, can there be a better feeling than this?

What is your favorite book (besides the Quran J) ? What are you currently reading?

I don’t know that I have a favorite book per se, because my favorites fall into categories, but I would say that my favorite Islamic-learning book is Du’a the Weapon of the Believer by Abu Ammar Yasir Qadhi ; my favorite Islamic-themed book is From My Sisters’ Lips by Na’ima B. Robert; my favorite “secular” book is The Surrendered Wife by Laura Doyle; and my favorite novel is The Land by Mildred D. Taylor.  Currently, I’ve just finished reading Establish the Prayers and the Prize is Paradise by Abdul-Malik Al-Qasim, and I’m currently reading so many other books that I need to narrow them down and focus on one, which is extremely difficult for me  J.   But one of the ones I’ve set my mind to finish is Life is an Open Secret: Think About It by Zabrina A. Bakar.

Many sisters have hidden talents, what’s your advice to them about pursuing their passions?

I’m constantly intrigued when I meet so many sisters who have amazing talents, and I’m often in awe as I sit and listen to them speak and reminisce.  However, there is a tinge of sadness in my heart as I witness how much of their talking is so past tense, as if their current life—due to Islam, marriage, or motherhood—is mutually exclusive to their ability, or right, to capitalize on the talents Allah has given them.  I don’t know that I have one piece of advice that would suffice for all of my talented Muslim sisters, but I advise this: Take your life by the reins, and cease being a passive passenger on its inevitably bumpy ride.  There is no “perfect life” or “perfect opportunity” wherein all the obstructions to your life goals miraculously fall away and an intense light illuminates your path to success, and you merely walk, unchallenged, down the road.  Anyone who has achieved anything in life achieved it because they found a way to keep going, to stay focused, even through the turbulent winds and torrential rains that characterize every life—not because they weathered no storms.   And know, too, that the grass is rarely greener on the other side—and even in the rare cases that it actually is greener, it’s only because someone watered their grass—and pulled weeds—more than you.   So be honest with yourself and look deep within to find the real reason you aren’t tapping into your “not-so-hidden” talents to benefit yourself and others. 

I know for some sisters the reason is simply that they haven’t found a way to recapture that talent and motivation in an Islamically appropriate context, or they have so many other burdens on their shoulders that they can’t see beyond the stress of daily life itself.  I know too that others have deeply personal issues that require a spiritual and practical makeover in their lives and the lives of their families.  However, in any case, it’s important to remember that Islam, as well as marriage and motherhood, is life itself, not separate from it.  So find your personal motivation within your Islamic and personal life, and ask Allah to help you find yourself and practical purpose in a manner that is pleasing to Him, and that does not in any way take away from your spiritual or family life, but that, in fact, enhances them both. 

What’s something that you want to leave as your legacy?

I hope that my legacy is established through the success of my novels in Muslim and non-Muslim circles as tangible evidence of a practicing Muslim of contemporary times having  capitalized on success in this world and the Next without sacrificing, but rather enhancing, my worldly and spiritual endeavors in the process.

What’s next?  Any upcoming engagements or events you’d like to share with us?

For now, I’m working on more novels, and prayers for their successful completion are certainly appreciatedJ.   Also, look out for a book trailer for my latest novel Realities of Submission in May, inshaaAllaah.

My Goal is to use SIS to exemplify how we all can tap into our own personal strengths and use them to magnify Allah (swt).  What are your final thoughts about achieving this lifelong challenge?

Focus on Allah, your prayer, and your soul…and you’ll find your personal strengths, as well as opportunities to capitalize on them, sprout from places you never imagined.

Lastly, Jazak Allahu Khair for your time and patienceJ!  May Allah continue to bless you and allow you to let your light be a shining example for others!

Wa iyyak, and may Allah bless you for being a means to show others that Islam broadens, not shrinks, our horizons, in this world and the Next…if pleasing Allah is truly our life’s goal.

 

Thanks for letting your light shine!

 

Teacher Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Shining In the Spotlight Presents:Internationally Acclaimed Author Umm Zakiyyah!!pt 3/4 March 14, 2009

by Umm Zakiyyah

Part 3 of a 4 part series with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!!!

Is writing a dream of a lifetime or a dream developed along the way?

I suppose it is more of a dream developed along the way because my writing goals are constantly evolving for the better, both practically and spiritually, and I don’t think I’ll ever feel that I’ve attained my “dream.”  Also, I don’t like to think of my writing as “a dream of a lifetime” because success is a process, not a solitary goal in itself.   If I were to believe I’m fulfilling “a dream of a lifetime,” I fear that I would become complacent and focus on me as a writer fulfilling her personal dream when, in truth, my focus should be on my writing as a process (a developing amaanah—a trust from Allah that I’m accountable for—more than a dream) that is in constant need of revision and refocus as I strive to achieve my ultimate life mission:  Paradise.

Please share what feeds your soul?

Prayer, du’aa, and Qur’an.

As women, sometimes we wear many hats, how do you take time out to care for your own needs?

For me, whenever I feel the need to take time out for “my own needs,” this is an indication that my focus has been disrupted, and the first places I look to levy blame are my prayer and my intentions.  In other words, I don’t view my natural and most correct state of affairs as my running around incessantly and putting on different hats, only to find myself exhausted at the end of the day and in need of “me time.”   Personally, I believe as long as my prayer and intentions are correct, everything will fall in line, and peacefully so, such that every moment of my day is  “me time”:  What better “me time” can I have besides my faith and good health, together giving me opportunity to earn blessings and seek forgiveness before I die?  So I don’t view myself as “wearing many hats,” but as simply fulfilling the many roles that are natural to the state of affairs of every human on earth, male or female.  Thus, to me, when I say, “Take time for yourself,” this means, “Umm Zakiyyah, stop and focus.  Go pray and ask Allah to purify your intentions.”  The best way for me to attain this refocus, I’ve found, is getting up in the last third of the night to pray and make extended du’aa. 

Everyone has a story to tell, what are your top tips for aspiring writers?

Because I haven’t yet found my voice in telling a personal story that covers my and others’ faults at the same time, I can only offer tips to aspiring fiction writers.  My list of tips, however, can be condensed to five key points, although I’m sure other experienced writers could add much more: 

1.  Make du’aa that Allah guides you to do everything for His sake and according to the Sunnah of His Messenger, sallallaahu’alayhi wa sallam.
2. Actively seek Islamic knowledge to make sure that your foundational  Islamic knowledge is correct.
3. Make Istikhaarah before you begin any writing venture.
4. Throughout your writing process, seek the advice and feedback of:  knowledgeable, trustworthy believers; average people representing your target audience; and experts in your genre’s field (by reading “How to” publications, as well as award-winning and bestselling books in the field).
5. Make Istikhaarah again before publishing your final work.

 Contemporary Islamic fiction is a fairly field new field, what have been some of the challenges you have faced in this area?

Due to the genre of Islamic fiction being a fairly new field, my challenges are primarily two: 

During the writing process, I find it challenging to write an engaging novel up to standard with contemporary, bestselling fiction, while at the same time offering an authentic Muslim experience  accessible to and spiritually beneficial for avid Muslim readers of all ages.  I sometimes feel like I’m feeling my way in the dark, because, historically, there are no novelists for me to look to for guidance in this vein.   When I began writing, I knew of no other authentic, Islamic fiction writers; this created a huge challenge for me.  However, it also created a wealth of opportunity, and I was excited and grateful to be a pioneer in this field.

Possibly the greatest challenge I face is, due to the dearth of Muslim novels,  there is a general expectation  by many readers that my books authentically represent “the” Muslim experience, or that they present a particular Islamic perspective—or that they, due to their fiction genre, present very little Islam at all.  I think each Muslim reader, particular in the West, is hungry for a novel that authentically represents them, and rightfully so.  Naturally, when they learn of the few Muslim novels that are out there, they eagerly read them in hopes that the writer has finally made that personal Islamic statement that they wish to make to the world.  This is a natural sentiment when a minority’s voice is finally being heard; I have this feeling myself on occasion.  However, this is a weighty burden to carry, and my prayer is that more authentic Muslim fiction becomes available so that more voices are accurately heard.

   A question that many of my coaching clients ask is how do you find the time to write? 

As I learned in a writing workshop I attended:   If you’re a writer, writing is a natural part of your life, just as is everything else you do on a daily basis.  Thus, I don’t look at my writing, teaching, or da’wah as “extracurricular;” it’s life, and, most specifically, it’s my life.  In keeping this in mind, I tell myself:  You don’t make time for life, you live it. 

For me, writing is a part of my life, a part of me, in fact—so much so that there are times I have to pull back and utilize my time for other things.  Nevertheless, I do have a general schedule that I alter from time to time, and that schedule includes, among other things, my writing. 

The first aspect of my schedule involves my approach to my sleep schedule.  In general, I’m most productive when I view sleep as a means and not an ends.  In other words, I get the most done when I minimize sleep to meet my need to function, as opposed to when I maximize sleep to meet my insatiable desire for rest.  I too am most productive when I sleep between four-to-five hours at night, pray in the last third of the night, and take a short nap after Dhuhr prayer (and sometimes one shortly before the Fajr adhaan).   On this sleep schedule, I have the most energy, and following an adequate night’s rest (and voluntary prayer before Fajr), the best and most productive time to write, I’ve found, is early in the morning after I’ve prayed Fajr.  Naturally, as a full-time teacher, I benefit most from this writing schedule on the weekends and during summer vacations.

Come back soon for the final part of Teacher~Tamara’s exclusive interview with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Shining In the Spotlight Presents: Internationally Acclaimed Author Umm Zakiyyah!! pt2 March 8, 2009

 

 

by Umm Zakiyyah

 

 

Part 2 of a 4 part series with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!!!

Who or what helped you to realize your passion for writing?

If I were to pinpoint what helped me realize my passion for writing, aside from my childhood love for the pen, it would have to be my parents and my younger sister Najla.  My parents helped me realize this passion by constantly reminding me and my siblings to use our talents and gifts for the sake of Allah.  They never told us, “I want you to be a doctor” or “This family needs an engineer.”   They, rather, taught us that Allah will put in our hearts whatever we’re supposed to be professionally, but they had only one requirement of us: “Whatever you do, do it as a Muslim.”

 In particular, I remember my father reading from the Qur’an, where Allah describes the believers as those “…who spend out of what We have provided for them,” and I knew that because Allah provided me with the gift of writing, I should write for His cause.  This really instilled in me a determination to write.

My sister Najla was particularly inspirational to me because she was the one who listened intently to all my stories, even when I had no idea where they were going.  I’d tell her stories before we went to bed, and she’d constantly ask me, “And then what happened?”  When I’d tell her I didn’t know (because I hadn’t figured it out myself), she would grow upset with me, and the next morning, she’d ask me again, until I finished the story.  That really stuck with me because her intense interest made me realize that my stories could, with the help of Allah, intrigue others.

How is writing different from teaching?

Writing is different from teaching in that writing is intensely personal.   As I write, I feel that the pen and paper belong completely to me, but I know I will share it with others once I’m done.   Teaching, on the other hand, is entirely communal.  As I teach, I feel that the classroom belongs completely to the students, but I know I must find that personal voice as a teacher to make the lessons accessible to my students and true to myself.  However, in the end, these two professions come from the same desire within me, to, with the help of Allah, make the world a better and more spiritual place, one person at a time.

MashaAllah we’ve witnessed the worldwide success of your trilogy If I Should Speak, A Voice and Footsteps. Now there’s your latest release Realities of  Submisssion… (may Allah make it successful as well). Is there a typical amount of time that you take to develop a concept or story line?

In general, my time of development is simply Istikhaarah and du’aa.   Once it’s clear to me that this is a project I should take on, I make du’aa, and the general concept and storyline come to me in floods.  At this stage, timing is not an issue except to find a pen and paper or computer fast enough to keep track of the ideas.    Once I’ve jotted down the concepts and storyline, I have to set time aside to actual write the story chapter by chapter until its end.

Once a storyline is created how does it develop into the many twists and turns that keep us reading?

What’s amazing about writing is that even as you write you don’t always know all the twists and turns that will occur until you actually write them.  Naturally, some of the twists are developed in the preliminary stage (when I’m flooded with ideas); however, my experience is that many of the twists are actually surprises for me.  Often, I’m inspired to write them only as I sit typing a particular scene while I’m at the computer, even as I myself never expected the story to move in that direction.   For some of my books, I actually had no idea what was going to happen in each chapter, and Footsteps is one of those.  Thus, I experienced my own level of intrigue as I wrote the story, going through some of the same emotions that I imagined the readers would.  This level of story development I attribute to the mercy of Allah, as it is simply proof of His answering my du’aa for guidance while I write.

Instead of having your work published elsewhere you created your own publishing company, what inspired you to do this?

I founded Al-Walaa Publications because I felt that it is most beneficial long-term for Muslims to have a publication company focused on Islamic fiction alone.  At that time, there were no publishers specializing in Muslim novels, and I saw the establishment of a publishing company as the filling of a much needed void in the creative, Islamic voice.

Come back soon for more of Teacher~Tamara’s exclusive interview with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara ™.  All rights reserved.

Shining In the Spotlight Presents: Internationally Acclaimed Author Umm Zakiyyah!! March 2, 2009

 

Asalamualaykum everyone! It’s a new month and that means a new feature SIS!

 

If you haven’t seen these books in your bookstore then RUN!!  Don’t walk to your computer and go to www.amazon.com and order them now!  Believe me you will not regret it.  MashaAllah Teacher~Tamara is revealing something else about herself here …I LOVE BOOKS!  Especially well written books and EXTRA-ESPECIALLY (I know it’s not a real word!) well written books by Muslimah authors.  So it is no surprise that the second SIS interview is with Internationally Acclaimed Author Umm Zakiyyah of Al-Walaa Publications! Alhumdulillah it brings me great pleasure to present her to you!

  

Part 1 of a 4 part series with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!!!

     

       Please share some background information about yourself, your occupation and past times. 

My parents accepted Islam the year that I was born, so I was born into a Muslim family although most of my extended family are Christian, as well as some of my older brothers and sisters.  Most of my childhood was spent in Indianapolis, where I graduated from high school and where I developed a firm concept of my identity as an American Muslim.  From my experiences with teachers and schoolmates, I understood that Allah’s purpose for me was to be significantly different from that of other Americans, whose beliefs, lifestyles, and dress were welcome additions to the “melting pot” of American society.  I don’t think that I have what I would term a “pastime,” but I read books, study Islam and Qur’an, and write novels on a regular basis.

 

            Exactly what it is that you do that manifests your talents and passion?

I write Islamic-themed novels and teach high school English, both of which I enjoy thoroughly.

 

     What is your life’s mission? What helped you to define that mission?

My life’s mission is two-faceted: spiritual and worldly.  Spiritually, my life’s mission is to die as a believer in state pleasing to my Creator, as a righteous wife, mother, teacher, and writer.   From a worldly standpoint, my life’s mission is to be amongst the best novelists in history, and to have these novels be an inspiration for readers to accept Islam and to better themselves as Muslims, thus making my novels of the residual knowledge that I leave behind as I am in the grave.

 

     How has this mission manifested into daily living for you as a wife, mother, author, teacher?

Daily, this mission makes me constantly step back and check myself and my intentions to make certain that my worldly mission never takes precedence over my spiritual mission, but that they both go hand-in-hand working for me in a practical and spiritual sense.   In order to achieve this, I’ve set certain “ground rules” for myself.  For example, my first and most important motto is, Prayer is success, and  I view all my spiritual and worldly success as resting in the realization of this motto.  Thus, I constantly ask Allah to make my prayer “the coolness of my eye.”  Also, I make my daily schedule around the prayer times, and I specifically allocate certain times to certain voluntary prayers that I pray daily “rain or shine.”

Practically, this mission translates into my gaining ideas to become a better wife, mother, author, and teacher by simply increasing my du’aa while I’m in sajdah and by making more voluntary prayers, of forgiveness and Istikhaarah.  It also means that I write only when my husband is not home or when he is preoccupied in his own activities, and that, as a general rule, schoolwork is done at school, and “home work” is done at home, with exceptions taken only for necessity.  It also means that I make certain that I spend quality time with my daughter and that she is engaged in her own activities whenever I am writing while she is awake.   At school, this means every lesson, no matter how grammatically mundane, is an opportunity to use the English language for the purpose of reminding myself and my students of Allah and our purpose on this earth. 

 

 Life coaching is about applying success strategies to help individuals define and support their ultimate vision. Have you had professional coaching or used any strategies to motivate yourself to keep writing? 

 I haven’t had professional coaching, but I have two strategies that I stick to, [in order] to keep writing.  My first strategy is the motto I mentioned above, “Prayer is success,” so when I wish to write, I simply raise my hands in du’aa or pray in my sajdah asking Allah to guide my words, but only after I’ve made Istikhaarah about embarking on a particular project in the first place.  It’s the one strategy that works without fail.  The next strategy is one I read about once:  “It’s about quantity, not quality.”  In other words, in the first phase of writing, it’s most important to just get your ideas on paper and actually finish the book.  Naturally, you’ll have to re-read, revise, and even rewrite some parts.  But as long as you have something to work with, achieving the quality you want is much more attainable.

 

 Come back soon for part 2/4 of the series with internationally acclaimed author Umm Zakiyyah!

Commit to a lifetime of learning!

 

Shining Out!

 

Teacher~Tamara

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara.  All rights reserved

   

Teacher Tamara Welcomes the Queen of Sheba to SIS pt (3/3) February 16, 2009

 Final part of the series featuring Heba Alshareef!

By Bloomimage

Many sisters have hidden talents, what’s your advice to them about pursuing their passions?

 Just do it! Seriously, it never ceases to amaze me how talented people are, mashAllah. So, what’s holding them back? I say, stop asking yourself questions and wondering if you will succeed or fail and JUST DO IT! In the end, the outcome is not in your hands anyway – it’s the process, the work involved, the action- that you will be held accountable for.

Do you have any specific advice for those who have been told that their dreams and aspirations are too lofty?

In this life, you need cheerleaders, and if you have one (or more) that encourage you, no matter how lofty the dream, then consider yourself blessed and hear their encouragement with all your heart. If you don’t, then become that person for yourself. And if you have ones that don’t fit this bill – where are their arguments stemming from? Is there anything worthwhile you can learn from them? Always take the lessons with an open heart – and know that the endorsement of Allah SWT is the mandatory thing. And when you have that, JUST DO IT!

What’s something that you want to leave as your legacy?

Hopefully, a written word that inspires. That would be nice. And if people can keep adding me to their duas – then I would benefit too :)

What’s next? Any upcoming engagements or events you’d like to share with us?

If you keep checking my blog, www.iamsheba.com, it’s how I stay in touch with everyone and as soon as I know things for sure, I share it with them. I really would like to meet as many of my readers as possible!

 My Goal is to use SIS to exemplify how we all can tap into our own personal strengths and use them to magnify Allah (swt). What are your final thoughts about achieving this lifelong challenge?

Release Your Inner Queen of Sheba! Seriously, what does that mean to you? The fact that it will mean different things to different sisters at different stages in their lives is a testament to the mercy of Allah SWT. All the success principles are found in HIS words and the stories and examples HE has given us through the Prophet SAW. We’re all blessed and we just have to keep remembering and living up to that legacy for the duration of our lives. And when we do, the challenges will seem minuscule inshAllah.

Lastly, Jazak Allahu Khair for your time and patience !  May Allah continue to bless you and allow you to let your light be a shining example for others!

My pleasure, W’Allahi. I don’t know if I’ve been a shining example, but I’m happy and honored you asked anyhow. More than anything, I LOVE to see such worthy projects, ones that will elevate and inspire our sisters in such important ways, so JazakAllahu Khairaan to you Tamara! You are a shining example :) and I wish you all the best in this life and the next. Ameen.

Thanks for letting your light shine!

TEACHER TAMARA

© 2009 Teacher~Tamara. All rights reserved.

Teacher Tamara welcomes the Queen of Sheba to SIS (pt 2/3) February 9, 2009

By Bloomimage

Part two of a series: Teacher Tamara welcomes the Queen of Sheba Heba Alshareef!

6. As an amazing mother of 5, a writer, a teacher, a professional life coach, a dedicated wife, a devoted daughter and a supportive sibling (not to mention an active participant in the community) [phew I’m tired just writing all of that !] where do you find the time to nurture yourself so that you can be able to give so much to others?

I don’t at least not this past year. But I realize that I must – so, that is my goal for this upcoming year inshAllah. I really want to find some time for balance. When you take care of yourself, you are better able to care for others. And the good thing is that it really doesn’t take much time. Yes, I need to follow my own advice, the “it’s good to be queen” protocol.

7. Time management, organization, and balance have all been touted as the keys to effectively keeping order while being active in so many areas. What do you do to manage all of the roles and responsibilities you have?

In the evenings, I make note of what I have to do for the following day – and then do my best to finish it off first thing in the morning. I completely recommend and endorse the time quadrants as expounded by Steven Covey. Do the demand things first – totally eliminate the time wasting distractions, call the bluff on the delusions, and then fill the rest of your time with the ‘happiness producing’ things that bring you closer to fulfillment.

8. What is the best feeling you’ve gotten from being a ________________. Please fill in and describe the situation.

Mom. Just knowing that these little beings are looking up to you and are ready to love you completely and that even when they’re mad at you, you have the most human influence on them is incredible. Knowing that Allah SWT orders the children to hold their parents in such high esteem and the Prophet SAW advises that the mother is most worthy of a son’s devotion makes me think, “ok, what can I do to continually deserve this recognition?”

9. You have written for audiences of all ages including children’s books and articles for several contemporary Muslim magazines. How was the process of writing your latest book “Release Your Inner Queen of Sheba: Procedure and Protocols to live your best life” different than your previous writing?

Honestly, after my computer crashed and I lost the entire first draft of the book, this version was THE single most inspired work I’ve ever done. SubhanAllah, when I think about it, it’s not so different than the writing I’ve always been driven to do. This book just lays out the process moreso, with specific exercises to do. It’s more of a show and tell, rather than just a show.

Come back soon for the final part of the Exclusive Interview with Heba Alshareef!

 Commit to a lifetime of learning!

Shining out!

Teacher~Tamara

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